The award, which is sponsored by SME’s
Rapid Technologies & Additive Manufacturing Community, recognizes innovative applications of rapid prototyping processes and techniques and honors the author for his contribution of ideas and information to the rapid technology and additive manufacturing industry. It is named in memory of Richard F. Aubin, a former member of the editorial review board for the Rapid Prototyping Journal and a founding member of the former Rapid Prototyping Association of SME advisory board. Aubin was a pioneer in the international intelligent manufacturing systems (IMS) effort with his work in the rapid product development feasibility study.

Sehrt was this year’s recipient for his paper titled “Direct Integration of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags Into Beam Melted Parts”. Sehrt, along with his coauthor, Gerd Witt, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Habil, also of the University of Duisburg-Essen, go into great detail proving that RFIDs can function inside products with dense metal walls, even after being put through the rigorous integration process. As a result, this discovery makes it possible to use RFIDs as an effective way of quality management for rapid manufacturing purposes.

“The RTAM Committee was pleased to receive a number of outstanding entries to compete in this year’s Dick Aubin Distinguished Paper Award,” said David K. Leigh, vice-chair of SME’s Rapid Technologies & Additive Manufacturing Community. “This year’s winner presented a paper and a concept that has yet to be addressed by the community and offers a very practical use of the additive manufacturing process.”